Indian Hotels, Ambuja plan Rs 2,700-crore hospitality expansion across West Bengal

Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and Ambuja Neotia Group have announced plans to invest Rs 2,700 crore in hospitality projects across West Bengal, with several new properties planned in North Bengal, including Siliguri, Ghum, Kalimpong and Lataguri.

The proposed expansion comes as hotel operators look beyond established destinations such as Darjeeling and Siliguri.

On November 1, the partnership unveiled an expanded Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa at Makaibari tea estate near Darjeeling. The property, which opened in 2020, has added 28 rooms and 15,000 sq ft of banqueting space at an investment of Rs 100 crore.

IHCL Managing Director Puneet Chhatwal said tourism was gradually extending beyond traditional circuits, aided by improved highways, air connectivity and changing travel habits.

“From here till Darjeeling, there is nothing that comes in the way, practically nothing, so there is a lot to be done,” he told The Indian Express, pointing to opportunities in destinations such as Ghum and Kalimpong.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic had changed domestic travel patterns, with more people opting for self-drive holidays, extended weekends and more frequent trips. Developing tourism markets in eastern and northeastern India, he said, would be a “10-to-20-year journey”, with travellers from cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru emerging as potential customers.

At the tea lounge, tea sommeliers introduce guests to Darjeeling varieties (Special arrangement)

The North Bengal pipeline includes the 57-room Taj Himya Kutir and 10 branded villas in Ghum, the 140-room Taj Terai Kutir in Siliguri and the 30-room Taj Vanya Kutir in Lataguri. Other planned properties include AltAir House hotels in Kalimpong and Lataguri and a Tree of Life property in Siliguri.

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Ambuja Neotia chairman Harshavardhan Neotia said a change in West Bengal government policy after the pandemic had allowed tourism-related development on tea-estate land. “The state allowed 15 per cent of tea-estate land to be used for tourism-related activities,” he said.

Chhatwal said the expansion would require coordinated planning between the government and private investors. Development in the hills, he said, would need proper environmental impact assessments and construction planning. Sourcing supplies, developing local talent, managing water resources and dealing with prolonged monsoons were among the operational challenges.

The partnership also launched AltAir House hotels in Kolkata and Siliguri on October 31, with 42 and 60 rooms, respectively. Further projects are planned in Kolkata, Raichak and Digha.

The experience

The experience at Taj Chia Kutir begins with a traditional welcome, as Nepali women greet guests with folk songs. Spread across 22 acres of the Makaibari Tea Estate, the resort offers rooms that combine understated luxury with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.

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The rooms feature wooden interiors, plush furnishings, and large windows (Special arrangement)

The accommodation ranges from garden-view rooms of around 45 sq m to expansive suites and villas. The larger options include the 120-sq-m Luxury Valley View Suite and the 118-sq-m Villa Suite, while the Presidential Makaibari Suite comes with a private gazebo.

The rooms feature wooden interiors, plush furnishings and large windows that bring the landscape indoors. Private balconies and decks, furnished with small tables and chairs, offer a place to enjoy a cup of tea as the green slopes disappear beneath a soft cap of clouds. Bathrooms with bathtubs, bath oils and salts add to the indulgence.

The resort’s approach to luxury also extends to responsible hospitality. Guests are encouraged to reuse towels to conserve water, while single-use plastic bottles are avoided in favour of refillable drinking water arrangements and glass bottles.

After sunset, the sounds of crickets and other insects fill the air. Away from the bustle of city life, a clear night offers a sky dotted with stars, a sight increasingly rare in urban settings.

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Tea takes centre stage. At the tea lounge, tea sommelier Parvez Hussain introduces guests to Darjeeling varieties, including Makaibari First Flush Springtime Bloom, Second Flush Summer Solstice, White Tea Bai Mudan and Silver Tips Imperial. Guests can also walk through the plantation and try plucking tea leaves. Priced at around Rs 1.1 lakh per kg, Silver Tips Imperial comes with an intriguing anecdote from Parvez about how the Queen of England reportedly drank it, believing it would help her live longer.

Evenings bring flute recitals and Buddhist monk chanting against the backdrop of tea gardens, followed by morning yoga overlooking mist-covered plantations.

The resort also contributes to the local economy through employment, with residents recruited across housekeeping, restaurant operations, stewarding, and gardening, connecting its hospitality offering with livelihoods in the region.